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Videos showing Tesla's Smart Summon feature doing bizarre things have gotten the NHTSA's attention
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into Tesla's Smart Summon feature, Bloomberg's Dana Hull first reported. Smart Summon allows Tesla vehicles with the most robust version of the Autopilot driver-assistance system to drive in parking lots without anyone in the car. NHTSA is aware of reports related to Smart Summon and is communicating with Tesla, a NHTSA representative told Business Insider. "Safety is NHTSA's top priority and the agency will not hesitate to act if it finds evidence of a safety-related defect," the representative said. Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into Tesla's Smart Summon feature, Bloomberg's Dana Hull first reported. Smart Summon allows Tesla vehicles with the most robust version of the Autopilot driver-assistance system to drive in parking lots without anyone in the car. Owners must be able to see their vehicle to use the feature and are responsible for the vehicle's actions, Tesla has said. Read more: I spent a weekend with Tesla's Model 3. It was the most fun I've had driving a car, but Autopilot made me nervous. NHTSA is aware of reports related to Smart Summon and is communicating with Tesla, a NHTSA representative told Business Insider. "Safety is NHTSA's top priority and the agency will not hesitate to act if it finds evidence of a safety-related defect," the representative said. Tesla did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. See also: Apply here to attend IGNITION: Transportation, an event focused on the future of transportation, in San Francisco on October 22 Since Summon began to roll out as part of a software update last week, some Tesla owners have expressed excitement about the feature's performance, while others have posted videos showing the feature malfunctioning. Tesla has attracted controversy over the ways it has marketed and discussed self-driving technology. The electric-car maker's CEO, Elon Musk, has said the company will have autonomous-driving technology that requires no human intervention ready by the end of next year, a more aggressive timeline than those announced or suggested by other auto or tech companies. Musk has also ignored Tesla's guidelines for customers when using Autopilot — which can control steering, accelerating, and braking in some circumstances, but requires the driver to keep his hands on the wheel and eyes on the road — on television. Read Bloomberg's full story here. Are you a current or former Tesla employee? Do you have an opinion about what it's like to work there? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com. You can ask for more secure methods of communication, like Signal or ProtonMail, by email or Twitter direct-message.
Read more: Tesla is killing its potential profit margins with the Model 3 Tesla tumbles 7% after producing a disappointing number of vehicles last quarter Tesla's third-quarter production numbers hit the low-end of Wall Street's expectations Former Tesla employees reveal what it's like to work with Elon Musk SEE ALSO: Elon Musk has sold his mansion overlooking Los Angeles for nearly $4 million. Here's a look inside. Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Mexico has just one store where you can legally buy a gun and it's located on a heavily-guarded military base
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